If you害羞草研究所檙e driving through the northern British Columbia town of Burns Lake, and happen to notice a hearse coming your way, fret not. This is not a 害羞草研究所渨orking害羞草研究所� hearse, but rather local car enthusiast Cliff Stronstad whipping around in his fully restored 1941 Cadillac Eureka three-panel carved hearse. You害羞草研究所檇 be forgiven for thinking this set of wheels was something special, though: Only two were ever made.

Lakes District News caught up with Stronstad about the process it took to restore the classic vehicle. 害羞草研究所淚 purchased the car in Vancouver in 1989, and drove it 600 miles to Burns Lake. For the first few years I drove it around, and then my wife and I began fully restoring it.害羞草研究所�

Stronstad, who害羞草研究所檚 been working in auto shops since the 1960s, owned and ran Pluto Autobody shop in Burns Lake from 1979 until he sold it in 2008. He害羞草研究所檚 been a fan of Cadillacs since he was a young man. 害羞草研究所淢y first car was a 害羞草研究所�64 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. I害羞草研究所檝e loved cars, and Cadillacs ever since.害羞草研究所�

The restoration of the car took 25 years and more than 3,500 man hours to complete. Every piece of the exterior is all original, and everything mechanical has been rebuilt.

The history of the car reaches back much further then when he first purchased it in 1989. According to Stronstad, the car was first used in St Louis, Missouri for Peoples funeral home until the mid 1960s. Peoples was run at the time by then-influential politician Jordan Chambers, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.

After the funeral home closed in 1968 following Chambers害羞草研究所� death, the car was bought by Bill Small and eventually moved to Victoria. The car was put up for sale in 1988, and then re-sold in 1989 when Stronstad became its owner.

Stronstad says his affinity for the car is all about its beauty. 害羞草研究所淎 car is partly a study in art. I looked at this hearse as an art form. Visually, it害羞草研究所檚 quite striking,害羞草研究所� he says.

Today, Stronstad and his wife can be seen using the car in the summer time; in fact, he害羞草研究所檚 put more than 6,000 miles on it over the past few summers, and says it couldn害羞草研究所檛 be a smoother ride.

害羞草研究所淲henever I get asked how it feels to drive it, I usually tell people that it害羞草研究所檚 like a space shuttle just gliding into a landing,害羞草研究所� Stronstad says. 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 feel bumps at all, it just feels like you害羞草研究所檙e floating. It害羞草研究所檚 very smooth.害羞草研究所�

If you害羞草研究所檙e interested in new or used vehicles, be sure to visit to find your dream car today! Like us on and follow us on